Physicists and neuroscientists from The University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham have unlocked one of the mysteries of the human brain, thanks to new research using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG).Aug 1, 2013 - 4:00:00 AM

Eve Marder, PhD, a professor of neuroscience at Brandeis University, is the recipient of the 2013 Neuroscience Prize of The Gruber Foundation. Marder is being honored with this prestigious international award for her pioneering contributions to the understanding of neural circuits, particularly how the properties and dynamics of neural circuits give rise to specific behaviors.Jun 10, 2013 - 4:00:00 AM

The Kavli Foundation applauds today's launch by President Obama of his Administration's ambitious research effort to understand the brain by deciphering the brain's activity that gives rise to our perceptions, our experiences and our consciousness. The effort, called the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative -- or BRAIN Initiative -- is a broad, collaborative research initiative to advance the science and technologies needed to unlock the mysteries of the human brain.Apr 2, 2013 - 4:00:00 AM

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), awarded a three-year, $900,000 grant to the Center for Biomedical Imaging Statistics at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health. The grant will fund the center's biomarker research in Parkinson's disease to identify non-invasive imaging measures that can detect changes in brain function and biochemistry.Feb 14, 2013 - 5:00:00 AM

Lesbians, gays and bisexuals (LGBs) who are out to others have lower stress hormone levels and fewer symptoms of anxiety, depression, and burnout, according to researchers at the Centre for Studies on Human Stress (CSHS) at Louis H. Lafontaine Hospital, affiliated with the University of Montreal. Cortisol is a stress hormone in our body. When chronically strained, cortisol contributes to the 'wear and tear' exerted on multiple biological systems. Taken together, this strain is called allostatic load. Our goals were to determine if the mental and physical health of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals differs from heterosexuals and, if so, whether being out of the closet makes a difference. We used measures of psychiatric symptoms, cortisol levels throughout the day, and a battery of over twenty biological markers to assess allostatic load, explained lead author Robert-Paul Juster. Contrary to our expectations, gay and bisexual men had lower depressive symptoms and allostatic load levels than heterosexual men. Lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals who were out to family and friends had lower levels of psychiatric symptoms and lower morning cortisol levels than those who were still in the closet. Jan 29, 2013 - 5:00:00 AM

The autonomic nervous system, which is the part of the nervous system beyond conscious control, plays an important role in the release of insulin from beta cells in the endocrine part of the pancreas. The process by which this occurs has been a mystery, since it is difficult to give detailed study to such an inaccessible organ. However, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have now managed to graft beta cells into the eyes of mice in order to study them in a living organism over a prolonged period of time. As a result, the group and a team of colleagues from the University of Miami have gained detailed knowledge of how the autonomic nervous system regulates beta-cell insulin secretion. Dec 10, 2012 - 5:00:00 AM

UPTON, NY -- The New York Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has designated the Chemistry Building at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory as an Historic Chemical Landmark.* This designation honors the synthesis of 18^FDG, a radiotracer that has had a revolutionary and global impact on cancer diagnosis and management and brain research. Originally synthesized at Brookhaven Lab in 1976 for positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, 18^FDG is now the world's most widely used radiotracer for cancer diagnosis, with more than 1.5 million 18^FDG PET scans performed annually.Oct 19, 2012 - 4:00:00 AM

Antidepressive drugs reduce the mortality rate of schizophrenic patients, while treatment with bensodiazepines greatly increases it, especially as regards suicide. Giving several antipsychotics simultaneously, however, seems to have no effect at all. This according to a new study examining different drug combinations administered to patients with schizophrenia. May 8, 2012 - 4:00:00 AM

Barcelona, 8th May 2012. A group of researchers from the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute) and from the INAD (Hospital del Mar Neuropsychiatry and Addictions Institute) has participated in an international study aiming to give a general overview at a chemical, pharmacological and behavioural level of a recently appeared new chemical compound, according to the Recreational Drugs European Network, as a new abused drug: methoxetamine (MXE). May 8, 2012 - 4:00:00 AM

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Forced body cooling known as therapeutic hypothermia has reduced in-hospital deaths among sudden cardiac arrest patients nearly 12 percent between 2001 and 2009, according to a Mayo Clinic study being presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology 2012 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The research is among several Mayo abstracts that will be discussed at the conference. Apr 19, 2012 - 4:00:00 AM

The substitution of brand-name antiepileptic drugs with cheaper generic equivalents has been an ongoing point of contention among doctors, federal officials and people with epilepsy.Feb 17, 2012 - 5:00:00 AM

In the classic film 12 Angry Men, Henry Fonda's character sways a jury with his quiet, persistent intelligence. But would he have succeeded if he had allowed himself to fall sway to the social dynamics of that jury?Jan 22, 2012 - 5:00:00 AM

Melbourne will become a magnet for the world's best and brightest brain researchers after the official opening of the Melbourne Brain Centre at The University of Melbourne Parkville by the Premier Ted Baillieu and Federal MP Michael Danby on Monday.Oct 18, 2011 - 4:00:00 AM

Many common signs of aging, such as shaking hands, stooped posture and walking slower, may be due to tiny blocked vessels in the brain that can't be detected by current technology.Sep 1, 2011 - 4:00:00 AM

Amsterdam, The Netherlands: For the first time researchers have been able to watch what happens to the brain as it loses consciousness. Using sophisticated imaging equipment they have constructed a 3-D movie of the brain as it changes while an anaesthetic drug takes effect.Jun 10, 2011 - 4:00:00 AM

Dr. Aage Moller of UT Dallas is known throughout the world for his innovative research on sensory systems and neural plasticity. But back at The University of Texas at Dallas, he's known to many students simply as a terrific teacher. May 20, 2011 - 4:00:00 AM

During a large-scale study of the socioeconomic costs of this neurodegenerative disease, Danish researchers, some from the University of Copenhagen, discovered that very early symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be revealed in dream or REM sleep. Mar 28, 2011 - 4:00:00 AM

UPTON, NY - Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University, and collaborators have demonstrated the efficacy of a wearable, portable PET scanner they've developed for rats. The device will give neuroscientists a new tool for simultaneously studying brain function and behavior in fully awake, moving animals.Mar 13, 2011 - 5:00:00 AM

Genes linked to the immune system can affect healthy people's personality traits as well as the risk of developing mental illness and suicidal behaviour, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.Feb 7, 2011 - 5:00:00 AM

ST. LOUIS, JANUARY 12, 2011: The 17th annual Academy of Science-St. Awards dinner, honoring top scientists and engineers from the St. Louis region, will be held at the Chase Park Plaza on April 13, 2011. Jan 13, 2011 - 5:00:00 AM

Mark M. Rasenick, Distinguished University Professor in physiology and biophysics and psychiatry and founding director of the Neuroscience Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, has been named a Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.Jan 11, 2011 - 5:00:00 AM

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo neuroscience researchers conducting basic research on ion channels have demonstrated a process that could have a profound therapeutic impact on pain.Dec 17, 2010 - 5:00:00 AM

Danish sleep researchers at the University of Copenhagen and the Danish Institute for Health Services Research have examined the socio-economic consequences of the sleep disorder hypersomnia in one of the largest studies of its kind. The sleep disorder has far-reaching consequences for both the individual and society as a whole. Dec 17, 2010 - 5:00:00 AM

Successfully treating and reversing the effects of multiple sclerosis, or MS, may one day be possible using a drug originally developed to treat chronic pain, according to Distinguished Professor Linda Watkins of the University of Colorado at Boulder.Nov 18, 2010 - 5:00:00 AM

CHICAGO --- Estrogen is an elixir for the brain, sharpening mental performance in humans and animals and showing promise as a treatment for disorders of the brain such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. But long-term estrogen therapy, once prescribed routinely for menopausal women, now is quite controversial because of research showing it increases the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.Nov 17, 2010 - 5:00:00 AM

Cincinnati, OH - The International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) believes that accelerating the pace of meritorious research, supporting families, and raising awareness are the minimum effort necessary to successfully search for treatments and a cure for one of the most devastating neurological diseases to affect young girls. On October 1, IRSF became the recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh contest that was officially confirmed later in the month. The contest was a highly-publicized and competitive online grant program to benefit non-profit organizations. In March 2010, IRSF entered the challenge when Donna Wright contacted IRSF's Director of Family Support, Paige Nues, to discuss the competition on behalf of her granddaughter, Naomi, who suffers from Rett syndrome.Oct 28, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

Doctors have used the drug disulfiram to help patients stay sober for several decades. It interferes with the body's ability to metabolize alcohol, giving a fierce hangover to someone who consumes even a small amount of alcohol.Aug 26, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

NJIT researchers were awarded 15 new U.S. patents this past year, increasing the total number of issued patents for NJIT to 97. More than 150 applications are in process. With projected research expenditures greater than $90 million for 2010-11, NJIT ranks as a leader in size and growth of research programs among technological universities. The patents were awarded from July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010. Specifics follow.Aug 23, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

Irritable bowel syndrome makes life miserable for those affected -- an estimated ten percent or more of the population. And what irritates many of them even more is that they often are labeled as hypochondriacs, since physical causes for irritable bowel syndrome have never been identified. Now, biologists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have shed new light on the matter: They have discovered mini-inflammations in the mucosa of the gut, which upset the sensitive balance of the bowel and are accompanied by sensitization of the enteric nervous system. Aug 19, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

A class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may provide a boost to cardiovascular health by affecting the way platelets, small cells in the blood involved in clotting, clump together, say researchers at the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. Apr 26, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

In order to be able to understand complex organs such as the brain or the nervous system, simplified model systems are required. A group of scientists led by the Frankfurt brain researcher Erin Schuman has successfully developed a novel method to grow cultured neurons in order to investigate basic mechanisms of memory. The researchers grew two separate populations of neurons in microfluidic platforms. These neurons extended their processes through tiny grooves, to meet each other and form synaptic connections. Perpendicular to the grooves, a perfusion channel was constructed that allows the researchers to manipulate very small populations of synapses with drugs or neurotransmitters. The chambers are amenable to imaging, allowing researchers to visualize the dynamics of synapses, the movement of molecules within the neurons.Apr 15, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

New research investigating neurological decline in a population of super healthy elderly subjects found that the decline in neurological function of the peripheral nervous system attributed to aging may be related to metabolic factors, such as blood sugar levels, even if these factors are within the normal range.Apr 14, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

Depression and schizophrenia can be triggered by environmental stimuli and often occur in response to stressful life events. However, some people have a higher predisposition to develop these diseases, which highlights a role for genetics in determining a person's disease risk. A high number of people with depression have a genetic change that alters a protein that cells use to talk to each other in the brain. Imaging of people with depression also shows that they have greater activity in some areas of their brain. Unfortunately, the techniques that are currently available have not been able to determine why stress induces pathological changes for some people and how their genetics contribute to disease.Apr 6, 2010 - 4:00:00 AM

Researchers at UC Berkeley are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence to show we are evolving to become more compassionate and collaborative in our quest to survive and thrive.Dec 8, 2009 - 5:00:00 AM

Like clockwork, brain regions in many songbird species expand and shrink seasonally in response to hormones. Now, for the first time, University of Washington neurobiologists have interrupted this natural annual remodeling of the brain and have shown that there is a direct link between the death of old neurons and their replacement by newly born ones in a living vertebrate.Aug 10, 2009 - 4:00:00 AM

Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have discovered a set of brain proteins responsible for some of the most common and devastating brain diseases. The proteins underlie epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disease, mental retardation and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases.
May 19, 2009 - 4:00:00 AM

A new UCSF study examining the mechanism of a novel therapy that uses magnetic pulses to treat chronic migraine sufferers showed the treatment to be a promising alternative to medication.
Apr 29, 2009 - 4:00:00 AM

ROCHESTER, Minn. - A new Mayo Clinic study found that it is generally safe to withdraw anti-seizure medications in children with epilepsy who have achieved seizure-freedom while on the medication. Researchers found that these children were not at high risk of subsequently developing intractable epilepsy. The study will be presented on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the American Epilepsy Society's annual meeting in Seattle.
Dec 7, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM

Japanese encephalitis (JE), commonly known as brain fever, is one of the prevalent mosquito-borne encephalitis in India and entire South East (SE) Asia. Besides resulting in thousand fatalities each year, JE virus (JEV) infection causes prominent neurological sequelae in approximately one-third of the survivors. Even those patients in the good recovery group commonly encounter psychiatric problems, which include mental retardation, learning disabilities, speech and movement disorders and behavioural abnormalities.
Jul 7, 2008 - 4:00:00 AM

Repeatedly stimulating the mouse brain with methamphetamine depresses important areas of the brain, and those changes can only be undone by re-introducing the drug, according to research at the University of Washington and other institutions. The study, which appears in the April 10 issue of the journal Neuron, provides one of the most in-depth views of the mechanisms of methamphetamine addiction, and suggests that withdrawal from the drug may not undo the changes the stimulant can cause in the brain.

Researchers have identified a key player in the killing of brain cells after a stroke or a seizure. The protein asparagine endopeptidase (AEP) unleashes enzymes that break down brain cells' DNA, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have found.
Mar 27, 2008 - 4:00:00 AM

UPTON, NY - Many studies on cocaine addiction - and attempts to block its addictiveness - have focused on dopamine transporters, proteins that reabsorb the brain's reward chemical once its signal is sent. Since cocaine blocks dopamine transporters from doing their recycling job, it leaves the feel-good chemical around to keep sending the pleasure signal. Now a new study conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory suggests that cocaine's effects go beyond the dopamine system. In the study, cocaine had significant effects on brain metabolism, even in mice that lack the gene for dopamine transporters.
Feb 18, 2008 - 5:00:00 AM